Protecting means for ships or vessels.



A. c. HOLZAPFEL.

PROTECTING MEANS FOR SHIPS 0R VESSEL'S. APPLICATION FILED MAYI6.1917.

Patented July 10, 1917.

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atrna'r c. ncrzarrnt, or new roan, it. t.

PflO'IJECTING MEANS JEOR SHIPS R VESSELS.

a subject of the King of Great Britain, re-

siding at New York, in thecounty of New York and State of "New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protecting Meansfor Ships or Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a protecting means or beltffor use in connectionwith a ship or vessel, armored or'unarmored, for

protecting the same against destruction or extensive injury, due to theexplosion of a torpedo or mine.

An important object of the invention is to provide means of the abovementioned character, providing a highly elastic cushion against theexplosion of the torpedo or mine, thereby throwing the force of suchexplosion back or away from the hull of the ship or vessel, as far aspossible, whereby the hull will not be destroyed or extensively injured.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the abovementioned character, adapted to serve both as an elastic cushion, toreduce the destructive effect of the explosion of the torpedo or mine,and as float means, preventing the sinking of the ship or vessel, shouldthe injury thereto be extensive.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the abovementioned character, which is adapted to be attached to a completed shipor vessel, armored or unarmored, or which may be applied to or builtinto a ship or vessel, during the construction thereof.

A further object of the invention is'to provide means of the abovementioned character, which are simple in construction, comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture, and highly efficient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Figure 1 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through one side ofthe hull of the ship or vessel, of the unarmored type,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an air holding tank, included in theapparatus.

Specification of Letters Patent.

This sheet metal skin 7 may be bolted bolted or riveted to Patented Julyit), 1917.

Application filed May 16, 1917. Serial No. 169,013.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates the hullof the ship or vessel of the unarmored type. Extending longitudinally ofthe sides of the hull are my improved protecting belts 6. As moreclearly shown in Fig. 2, the belts 6 extend longitudinally of the hullfor substantially its entire length.

In Fig. 1, the belt extends vertically from a point at or near thebilge, near the deep load line. In fer; to have this protecting beltextend upwardly to within a few feet of the deep load line. In the caseof armored ships, the belt gvclmld extend from the bilge to the armorEach protecting belt 6 comprises an outer wall or skin 7, preferablyformed of sheet metal, of the desired thickness and strength. or rivetedto angle irons 8, which are in turn the sides of the hull 5. The outerside of the shell or skin'7 may be further connected with the side ofthe hull 5 by rods 9, passing through apertures therepractice, I prein.and carrying nuts 10. -The inner ends to a point at or width of from sixto eight feet, while the .1

lnvention is of course in no sense restricted to these dimensions.

Arranged within the inner or central portion of the compartment of theshell or skin 7 are air holding tanks 12, which are referably cubical,while the invention is in no sense restricted to :this shape. The tanks12 are hermetically sealed, and contain air at atmospheric pressure. Ihave found that satisfactory results can be obtained byconstructingthese tanks a cubic foot. These cubical tanks are preferablyconstructed of sheet metal, such as tin, sheet iron, galvanized sheetiron, or any other suitable material. The tanks should be made ofmaterial sufici'ently stron to give them a firm holdto the side of t eship. Satisfactory results can be obtained by having the sheet beingdestroyed by are arranged in substantial vertical rows, 1n closerelation, with the tanks in one row being staggered with relation to thetanks in the other row, whereby these tanks break joint. The tanks maybesecured together by any suitable means, if desired. The group of tanks12 is spaced from the skin or shell 7, at its upper and lower ends andside, and this space is preferably filled with a soft and light wood,such as balsa wood or cork. The term soft and light wood is intended tocover any cork like substance, such as balsa wood or' cork. This balsawoodis first preferably dipped in molten paraifin wax, whereby itssurface pores become impregnated with the same and the wood is renderedwater-proof. This prevents the wood becoming water logged or dry rot.The soft and light wood is preferably cut into blocks 13,

y and arranged between the tanks 12 and the shell or skin 7 These blocksare disposed in staggered relation to break joint. The blocks 13 alsofunction to exclude the passage of water therethrough preventing it fromcontacting with the tanks 12.

If the ship or vessel equipped with myv protecting armor is struck by atorpedo or mine, a portion of the belt would be destroyed by theexplosion, probably to an extent of a 20 foot radius. The air tanks inthis radius would be crushed or destroyed. At the same time, theintervening .elastic action or resistance of the belt would enable thehull 5 of the ship or vessel to with stand the force of the ex losion,and it is believed that the only e ect would be a slight list to theside on which the ship was struck, and a loss of speed, which would.result from the added resistance of the do stroyed belt.

I have estimated that the weight of such a belt for a ship or vessel 300feet long and invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as apreferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape,size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

' 1. The combination with the hull of a ship or vessel, of a protectingbelt secured thereto, comprising a skin, an inner group of substantiallyhermetically sealed air containing tanks, and an outer filling of softand light wood arranged between said group and the skin.

2. A protecting belt for a ship or vessel, comprising a group ofsubstantially hermetically sealed air containing tanks, -and an outercovering for said tank formed of balsa wood having its surfacepores"impregnated with a water-proofing substance.

3. The combination with the hull of a ship or vessel, of, a. protectingbelt secured thereto, comprising a skin, an inner group of substantiallhermetically sealed fluid containing tan 5, and an outer filling of woodarranged between said group and the skin.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT o. HOLZAPFEL.

Witnesses.

B. P. Frsmsumm, C. W. PARKER.

